BetsyB

Need a mentor? I've been banded for 8 months, and am losing well by combining a low-carb regimen and regular exercise. I'm just over 100 pounds down from my highest weight, and about 85 pounds since banding. I am an RN turned health writer, and am working toward certification in nutrition and wellness counseling. I can be available here, by email, or by texting---send me a PM if interested :puke:

Yep, listen to Elfie. It's not something to worry about. You can't tell, independently, if there is a problem with your pouch; your doctor can evaluate it fluoroscopically.

Weight loss can wreak havoc with hormones! Body fat is mildly estrogenic, and as it's lost, serum estrogen levels fluctuate. So it's not unusual to miss periods. (Still, I think it's always a good idea to test to be sure!)

I don't eat these foods,but not because I am unable; I am still actively losing weight, and choose to focus on different foods. I do have restriction--and still am able to eat nearly anything most days. (Some days, I am tighter than others; stress, PMS, and other factors can contribute to this.) When I get stuck, it is usually due to "user error." It's when I don't respect the tightness of my band, and act accordingly. I do know people who have aimed for tighter restriction during loss, and have subsequently had a small unfill once at goal so that they can eat a broader range of foods. I've chosen to work with a level of restriction that does not cause me discomfort, and rely on my decision-making to make generally wise food choices (which is not to say I don't occasionally opt for something less-nutrient-dense 'cause I really want it). I know that bread is tricky for many; it seems like there are some breads (bagel thins, deli thins) that work for many who do have trouble with bread. Toasting also seems to help. I haven't gone down the bread path--I don't have room for it, and I don't miss it. But chances are, you will be able to find something that works.

If I understand your question correctly, you're wondering whether someone beginning with a BMI of 35 will be ruled out for surgery if successful during the preop stage. Check your insurance policy--it will specifically spell out the conditions you must meet. Your doctor's insurance specialist can clarify if need be. My insurance required a BMI of 40 (with no comorbidity) or 35 (with 2 comorbidities). The weight used to determine eligibility was the first weight taken in the doctor's office. I lost weight during the preop supervision, and was below a BMI of 40 when I went into the OR. I still was fully covered by insurance. EVERYTHING IS DICTATED BY THE INSURANCE POLICY--it's not a matter of bias, it's a matter of what you have paid for. If you have insurance through your employer, you can always lobby for changes to the policy. However, if you're below a BMI of 35 before seeking banding, chances are you'll wind up self-pay. You will be able to find a surgeon to do the surgery--but insurance does not generally pay unless there is a medical necessity. And that does not usually attach to lower BMI.

It's really common for there to be an upward blip on the scale when solids are added. The thing to be mindful of is the kinds of solids you choose. You don't have restriction yet, but as you approach it, it will become increasingly important to make sure that the foods you choose give your body what it needs nutritionally. And now is a great time to start doing that. My surgeon is one with lots of rules. "Real food" had a completely different meaning to him than it does for most of us. For the first year after surgery, he really expects his patients to be compliant with his eating regimen---and those of us who do actually find our own definitions of "real food" changing, too. Many people bridle against food restrictions. For me, it's been really good guidance; learning to first choose what I need has completely changed my relationship with food. The fact that you can eat tortilla chips doesn't mean you should eat tortilla chips. But you already knew that The band is a great tool--you will find your way, and learn how to use it to your best advantage.

It depends. Scrambled eggs don't tend to be my friend, but I don't think they really get stuck--they're just not comfortable. Anything eaten off the bone (ribs, etc) are problems because it's too easy to take too large of a bite or not chew carefully. But these are user-error things, really. When I've gotten stuck, it's usually been because I am tight for another reason, and haven't paid close enough attention. I don't really have any foods I avoid because of getting-stuck issues. OTOH, I also eat a low-carb diet, so I haven't even attempted stuff like bread or Pasta. (I do very occasionally have sushi, and the rice is not a problem for me.)

How awful! I hope your recovery is speedy!

Just remember that exercise doesn't have to mean a punishing regimen. A nice walk outdoors can become something you enjoy and look forward to--and is something to which your blood sugar will respond remarkably.

My surgeon doesn't have this rule. He suggests that in the immediate postop period, it can increase discomfort due to gas. I tend not to use straws for this reason--but it's not really a big deal, IMO.

I'm not as far out of the gate as you'd like to hear about, but am having great success. Still, I know I'm not part of the demographic you're looking for. What I'd like to point out, though, is that on boards like this, it's pretty typical to see posts from people who are having difficulty. Those of us who are happy and doing well don't tend to linger or post for feedback. So do be aware that there is a bias toward the negative in posting.

I haven't made it to my surgeon's support group, though I have gone to postop classes that reinforce the nutrition and exercise info every 3 months after surgery. I am 8 months out, have restriction, and couldn't fit 8 tablespoons of food in me if my life depended on it!

I think it's quite true that the "sweet spot" is as much mental as physical. Since banding, I've lost at the same consistent rate, whether I've had restriction or not. I've chosen the same foods, in the same amounts. The difference, as I approached and reached restriction, was not that I achieved a magical point where I wasn't hungry, or was miraculously satisfied. It was a gradual lessening of unmanageable hunger. I mean, face it, if you're eating a limited number of calories, you're apt to be hungry a good deal of the time. For me, that is gone. GONE. I do get hungry--but eating my small, careful meals removes the hunger. And that hunger stays at bay until I again need to eat. I am now able to stick with a severely calorie-restricted regimen. Before the band, I was not. The band doesn't tell me I'm "full." Full is a completely different experience now. Now, it means "not hungry." And that's the way it should be. The Japanese have a saying, hara hachibun, which means eight-tenths full. The idea is that one should stop eating when they reach this point, because it's enough. It's satisfying. Hara hachibun is a great concept to approach to banded eating. I still have to be vigilant. I have to take appropriate servings of appropriate foods. I have to tell myself "no" when my mind tells me "Aw, that won't hurt!" I have to be mindful not to take that one extra bite---because there is a thin line between enough and too much, and too much hurts. ETA: I'm glad you're achieving peace with the band; I know it's been hard for you. Your loss is NOT insignificant, and it will continue. Now that you're more comfortable with the band, I think you will find it to be a great tool. I also have to exercise. That is a critical, critical piece of the puzzle for me.

I have enough trouble with pills that I've had most of my meds switched to liquid. That said, small pills (birth control pill size) are no problem at all. They dissolve quickly and, even if they don't, are able to pass through even a restricted stoma. I'd give 'em a try whole.

I would go to my bariatric surgeon, no doubt about it.

My doctor tells me if I ask, but honestly--I have no idea where I am now. I haven't remembered since my second fill (maybe 5 months ago)---after a while, it really does become unimportant. (I know we place a lot of emphasis on it at the beginning, but your doctor is right.) I wouldn't ask unless I felt my doctor was being overly conserative (ie, giving me tiny fills that took me nowhere, but kept me going into the office and paying).

The general rule of thumb is that one should never ask whether a woman is having a baby unless there is a head emerging from between her legs at that very moment. It's a really good rule.

Bob, don't worry about the pain. With medication, it's easily manageable.

If you research the stats, you'll find out that the stories you are hearing are....well, stories. People tend to confuse bariatric surgeries. They hear of someone having terrible complications after bypass, then repeat it as a horrible banding-gone-awry tale. Don't pay any attention to these stories. They aren't true. By the time you hit the OR, you've been so thoroughly evaluated that the odds of mishap are next to nil.

I don't know Dr. Ortiz, so I can't address his expertise, specifically. I do know that, while I am willing to travel for surgery (and will, in fact, for my plastic surgery), I would never do so without first meeting the doctor. The problem with traveling to a foreign country--aside from language barrier---is that aftercare becomes incredibly difficult. And IMO, patient education and aftercare are really, really important to banding success. So as part of your considerations, do think about who will provide your aftercare if you do choose to travel to Mexico for the band. There are a lot of people on here who have done so very successfully. My personal recommendation would be to find a local surgeon you love, and ask him if there's wiggle room on his usual and customary fee for a self-pay patient.

Postop diarrhea is very common--I was told to expect it. Not much fun, but nothing to worry about :thumbup:

Yes---because most stuck incidents are due to "user error" or foods that just don't "work" with the band. If you have difficulty eating, in general, then no--no fill. But if you have occasional issues, and are not remaining satisfied between meals, a fill might be a great idea.

About six months. I made my decision before the surgeon's seminar, had my first appointment a few weeks later, and had an insurance-mandated 3-month supervision. Paperwork was submitted, and I was approved about 5 months from the day I registered for the seminar. My surgery was not for an additional month, however (due to holidays).

I have 5 herniated disks from neck to tail, a bum knee, a bad shoulder, and sacroiliac joint disease. (Thank you, Red-Light Runner.) I won't even scare you by telling you how long I waited for "definitive answers" about what was causing my pain. Let's just say that the aforementioned red light got run in 1981, and I had my first injection 3 years ago. Epidural steroid injections have been a GODSEND to me. Seriously, I am jumping up and down because I have a cervical epidural and sacroiliac injection scheduled for next week I get the injections every...oh, 4 months or so, and have for the last 3 years (I think). I resisted using narcotic pain medication for a very long time (like, decades)--and since I'm allergic to NSAIDs, this was really kind of foolish. Pain medication has an important role in pain management---it doesn't "mask" anything. Pain is a medical diagnosis unto itself---and medication helps treat it. However, using other tools in the arsenal can really reduce your need for narcotic pain relief. I do take liquid hydrocodone for pain. It allows me to do the exercise that helps my body more than anything else. It does not mentally impair me or prevent me from leading a full life. On the contrary, because I have intractable pain that cannot be effectively be permanently treated, it permits me to lead a full life. I do recommend the injections--many people get a great deal of relief from them. But if you have the attitude that pain medication "masks" problems, know that the injections, too, fall into this category. They don't really treat the problem--they reduce inflammation temporarily to provide some relief.

I understand completely. Really, we all do. It's a very frustrating period. You will get through it--and you will do great. Hang in there. Do what you need to do to support your loss. And it will all fall into place